Folding-bed construction



Jan. 7, 1930. A. c. BEECH FOLDING BED CONSTRUCTION Original Filed June 9, 192e Patented Jan. 7, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALEXANDER C. BEECH, OF NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR 'IO KROEHLER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY,.OF NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION F ILLINOIS 'romaine-BED CONSTRUCTION Application filed .Tune 9, 1926, Serial No.

This invention relates to a folding metal construction adapted to be used either for a davenport or a day bed.

Among the objects of4 this invention are: T o providea two-section construction of this kind in which the sections are movable from a postion one above the other to a position in alignment and at the height of the upper section inits folded condition; to provide extensible means for supporting the sections in extended and folded position, thereby eliminating any slotted connection with the frames; to simplify'the arrangement and disposition of the parts so that the bed sections may be readily folded and unfolded; yand in general to produce the construction herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts shown in section of a folding bed construction, in accordance with the principles of this invention, as applied to a davenport, and in extended position;

Figure 2 is a plan view of one end of the structure as shown in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation of the structure in folded position. Y

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 generally designates an end frame of a day bed or davenport having front and back cross pieces2 and 3 connecting the opposite end frames and in the case of a davenport an upholstered back 4 is also secured in place between the end frames 1. rlhe structure thus described is commonly made by furniture manufacturers in various forms and styles, upholstered or not as desired, and a metal folding bed construction separately produced and assembled as a unit is applicable to the frame. ,This metal folding con-r struction comprises a pair of cross pieces 5 provided with front and rear uprights 6 and l attached to the end of each cross piece, and

the `upright forming means for attaching the cross pieces to the end frame and the connecting rails.

The lower or rear bed frame section 8 is mounted to swing on parallel levers 9 which in turn are pivotcd on the cross piece 5 and swing the frame 8 upwardly and forwardly 114,631. Renewed November 14, 1929.

until a stop 10 projecting from the cross piece is engaged by one of the levers 9. An upper or front bed section 11 is pivotally mounted adjacent the rear side thereof upon a rigid lever 12 and an extensible link 13 both of which have fixed pivotal connections not only With the frame section 11 but also with the cross piece 5. The front lever 12 engages a shoulder on the front upright 6 for limiting the movement of this lever and pivotally connected adjacent the upper end of the lever is a link 14 which operates a folding leg 15 to support the front side of the section 11 when it is extended. At the outer edge of the front section 11 is a movable front board 16 which rests upon the fixed front board 2 for supporting the section in its Vfolded position, as shown in Figure 8.

The extensible link 13 for the inner end of the bed section 11 comprises telescoping parts 17v and 18 pivoted to the bed section 11, Vand the cross piece 5, litting closely,-but freely slidable one within the other. Closely surrounding these telescoping members is a tension spring 19, the ends of which are atltached to the telescoping members 17 and 18 adjacent their pivotal points, as for example by inserting the ends through suitable apertures in the telescoping members, and this spring tends to force the members in tele# scoping relation.

In order to move the rear section 8 in accordance with the movement of the front sec- Y tion 11, a bracket 20 is aliixed to and depends from the frame 11 adjacent its inner side at each end thereof, and connecting each bracket with the rear section 8 are two pivotally connected links 21 and 22 and the upper edge of the link 21 engaging the under side of the section 11 for supporting it in alignment with section 8 and holding the extensible link 13 in distended position, the free end o-f the latter being pivotally connected at the end of the frame 8 to a lixed pivot 23, and the under side of this link 22 being engaged by a projection 24 extending from the frame of section 8 to limit the downward movement of this link 22;

At the rear of each cross piece 5 is an upright V25 supporting a 'horizontal piece 26 100 which is adapted to engage the front section 11 in its folded position and to form a sliding conductor for the rear side of the front or upper section 11. Extending inwardly from the lower edge of the cross piece 5 are supporting rbrackets 27 for engaging` the rear bed section 8in its lower or foldedY position, as shown in Figure 3.

The folding and unfolding action of4 this construction is verylsimple, and assuming the bed tofbe closed, as-shown in. Figure 3, the front edge of the upper section is grasped and raised upwardly, swinging-it' upon-the levers 12, the rear of this section resting and sliding upon the supports 26, and the telescoping lever 13 givingslightly under this movement but holding the rear side of the section against therear supports 26. The forward movement of the section 11 will cause theconnectedlinks 21 and 22 rst to swing downwardly at their pointed end, and then as the outward swinging movement of the front section 11 is continued these links 21 and 22 are extended until they are in a straight line, and. the continued movement of the front,

section,11 will raise the rear section 8 upon its .parallel levers 9 until the rear section is.

inits elevated position with one ofthe levers 9 against the stop 10, at which time the front section 11 will be in its forward 'or unfolded position with its supporting legs 15 automatically. extended and upholding the front edge. At this timethe connected links 21v and 22y which are slightly out of'v alignment would `tendto have their common pivot fallwere it.

not for the engagement of: link 22with'the stop or projection 24 whichl holds these flinksout of alignment ready for the folding movementof the sections.

1 In the folding. action, the loperationsare substantially reversed, the raising movement ofthe outer sectionll swinging the rear section8 downwardly because of the directconnection of the links 21y and` 22, and.L the ex-V is simple but also requires little strength so nthat the construction is' easilyy folded and unfolded by,v women and children', as the front.

section isswungeasily aboutthe levers 12, the rear resting upon the supports 261- and sliding forwardly thereonand the weightof the rear` section is .not applied until the front. sectionis atr orover itscenter of. gravity tend? ingto-fallforward on thelevers 12.wliich helps to balance the weight of the rear-sec; tions.- 8 inraisingl it. Intheclosingyaction thetrst upward movement ofthe front section 11 tends to swing the rear section backwardly upon its parallel levers 9 so that the weight of the rear section partially counterbalances the weight of the front section in the closing action. The extensible telescoping lever 13 makes it possible to swing the outer, sectionzy 11 morel freely; it holds d'owm the inner side of the section 11 in both extended andfolded positions; and it permits the sliding actionzofthe inner endiofthis sectiongupon` 7 the inner fixed supports.; so thatY the section will slide more readily under the projection such as -an-upholstered'back 4, thereby makingit possible to provide a close fit or construction between the back andthe seat, which is desirable in davenport constructions.

1. In a folding bed constructioma pair of bed sections movable from a position one over the other to a position in alignment with each ,Si other, means for swingingthe-upper sectionforwardly and drawing-,the lower sectionupwardly, said'swingi'ngmeans vincluding a pair of members at each end of the sections, one of'r which, is a resilient extensible telescopic link. 90

2.14 folding bedconstruction havingupper and(v lower bed sections movable into alignment, means for raising the lower section when; the frontv section is moved, and means for swinging the front section forwardly, saidl means` includingfresilientl tele'- scoping extensible members.

3. A construction in accordance with claim 2 in whichthe telescoping extensible members have a surrounding spring, tendingt to draw the -memberstogethen 4. In. a..folding bedA structure, upper and lower sections movable into alignment, means for mountingthe lower section towswingupwardly, means for` mountinggtheupper secv tion to swingforwardly without overturning, and'means comprising Aa double link connectionbetween the sections at each end thereof for positively raisingthe rear section when the front'section is` moved forwardly, one of 110v said links at eachend engaging the rear edge of the front section to holdV the sectionsl in alignment.

5. In a folding bed construction, upperand lower bed`rsectionsa pairofmembers for swinging the lower section upwardly, a pair of membersfor swinging the upper section forwardly,` one ofthe vlast mentioned members being extensible, meansconnectingthe sectionsfor raisingrthe lowersectionwhen 120. the upper sectionis moved forwardly, a rear support .for the, upper "section in its folded, positiomthe extensible' means beingprovid'ed withl a. spring for retainingthe rear side of,= the upperrsecti'on.inengagement withthesaidl 12m support so that the upper section will; slidel forwardly and.A rearwardly on the said sup; port inthe foldingzand ,unfoldingmovements ofthe uppersection.V Y'

6I Ina folding bed construction, ,a pair of. 130...

bed secti ons, means for mounting the sections to swing from a position one above the other to a position in alignment with each other, and a jointed connection between the sections engageable with a projection from the lower section and engaging below the adjacent edge of the upper Section for holding the sections in alignment.

7. In a folding bed construction, a pair of bed sections, means for mounting the sections to move from a position one above the other to a position in alignment with each other, and a connection between the sections com prising a double link pivoted at the end of the lower section and to the under side of the upper section, and a projection extending from the lower section adapted to engage the link pivoted thereto for holding the other link in position below the adjacent edge of the other section for maintaining the sections in alignment.

8. In a folding bed construction, a pair of bed sections movable from a position one over the other to a position in horizontal alignment with each other, means for swinging the upper section forwardly and drawing the lower section upwardly, said swinging means for the upper section comprising a` pair of links at each end of the section, one of which is a rigid link and the other of which is a resilient extensible link whereby this section may be independently rocked about a horizontal axis formed by the pivots of the rigid links.

9. In a folding bed structure, upper and lower sections movable into alignment, means for mounting the lower section to swing upwardly, means for mounting the upper section to swing forwardly without overturning, means comprising a double link connection between the sections at each end thereof for positively raising the rear section when the front section is moved forwardly, one of said links at each end engaging the rear edge of the front section to hold the sections in alignment, and means including a projection at each end of the lower section for engaging the other of the said links for limiting the downward movement thereof.

ALEXANDER C. BEECH. 

